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Mar 5, 2014
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secretary kerry meeting with his counterparts, sergei lavrov, today. i think that the administration is trying to give putin a way out, what has been described as an off ramp, if you will. it's not clear that russia is going to agree with that. but that is one of the options . and it comes as congress is preparing to take up the issue of sanctions. the house prepared to take up that issue tomorrow. initially it seemed as though they weren't going to take up that issue until next week, but i think there is a real sense of urgency to get something done, to keep the pressure on russia to pull out of ukraine. so you're going to see that debate start to take place tomorrow on the hill. but certainly this is a volatile situation, so i think these conversations are going to continue to go on at the highest levels here at the white house and throughout the administration as they tip to try to deescalate the situation. >> obviously we want to deescalate the situation. but i think russia knows that we're only going to go so far militaril militarily. we won't mee
secretary kerry meeting with his counterparts, sergei lavrov, today. i think that the administration is trying to give putin a way out, what has been described as an off ramp, if you will. it's not clear that russia is going to agree with that. but that is one of the options . and it comes as congress is preparing to take up the issue of sanctions. the house prepared to take up that issue tomorrow. initially it seemed as though they weren't going to take up that issue until next week, but i...
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Mar 4, 2014
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sergey lavrov defended russia's action by saying they're defending the fundamental right to light of -- right to life of the ethnic russians in those areas. is there any evidence that that is the case? >> i would not say that the lawlessness that does exist in some major cities is targeted toward russians or russian speakers. it's very difficult to distinguish who is russian and who is not. people generally here think of themselves as ukrainians and they can hold multiple identities, both as russians and as ukrainians at the same time. the relationship is so close. so i don't think it's targeted in that way. but there is clearly a spike of disorder and lawlessness that everyone is suffering under. >> nicolai petro, thank you so much for joining me. >> sure. >> joining me now is michael mcfaul, just stepped down last week as u.s. ambassador to russia. he's professor of political science at stanford university. ambassador, what is the next step here? it seems that this has escalated tremendously quickly. what do you see as being the next step either from the u.s., nato and the e.u. or
sergey lavrov defended russia's action by saying they're defending the fundamental right to light of -- right to life of the ethnic russians in those areas. is there any evidence that that is the case? >> i would not say that the lawlessness that does exist in some major cities is targeted toward russians or russian speakers. it's very difficult to distinguish who is russian and who is not. people generally here think of themselves as ukrainians and they can hold multiple identities, both...
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Mar 6, 2014
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lavrov in rome for a second day of talks aimed at defusing the crisis. kerry announced new sanction, a visa ban on russian and ukrainian officials deemed complicit in threatening ukraine's territorial integrity. in conjunction, president obama issued an executive order allowing further sanction on those individuals including asset freezes. but 16,000 russian troops remain stationed in crimea and a diplomatic solution continues to elude all sides. joining me from the white house is deputy national security advisor for strategic communications and speechwriting, ben rhodes. ben, thanks for taking the time to do this. i know it's a very busy day at the white house. let me just first get, you know, the white house position on this crimean referendum. do you see this as russian strong-arming? >> well, look, alex, we have've been very clear that you cannot make decisions about parts or regions of ukraine without the government of ukraine at the table. nor can you do it in a time when the people in crimea are under coercion from russian forces. so this is not a
lavrov in rome for a second day of talks aimed at defusing the crisis. kerry announced new sanction, a visa ban on russian and ukrainian officials deemed complicit in threatening ukraine's territorial integrity. in conjunction, president obama issued an executive order allowing further sanction on those individuals including asset freezes. but 16,000 russian troops remain stationed in crimea and a diplomatic solution continues to elude all sides. joining me from the white house is deputy...
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Feb 28, 2014
02/14
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secretary kerry saying today that he spoke with russia's foreign minister, sergei lavrov, earlier today, again telling russia not to engage. so, that is what we have been hearing all along. president obama will undoubtedly come out with some stern words. what he will say specifically, we'll have to wait and see, but of course, earlier today, the former president of ukraine, yanukovych, has not been deposed he still leads himself as the leader of ukraine, despite the fact that many do not see the situation in that light. so president obama will come out. i expect him to have strong words from russia. clearly, this situation and russia entering that space only increasing tensions between the east and the west, between the united states and russia. u.s. officials have said all week long that this is not a return to the cold war, but alex there is no doubt that if russia has, in fact, engaged and entered ukraine, that that will increase these tensions, increase what has been a very frosty relationship between the united states and russia as of late. alex? >> you know, kristen, we spoke with
secretary kerry saying today that he spoke with russia's foreign minister, sergei lavrov, earlier today, again telling russia not to engage. so, that is what we have been hearing all along. president obama will undoubtedly come out with some stern words. what he will say specifically, we'll have to wait and see, but of course, earlier today, the former president of ukraine, yanukovych, has not been deposed he still leads himself as the leader of ukraine, despite the fact that many do not see...
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Mar 3, 2014
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this morning, foreign minister sergey lavrov insisted his government is acting in its own defense. here's nbc's jim maceda who has more from moscow. >> reporter: putin now has his hand on the russian crown jewel. crimea gives putin an essential warm water port, and it counters in his mind the nightmare scenario. that's what he sees as an ultranationalist government suddenly cancelling russia's lease on the black see base and kiev taking control of crimea and then joining nato down the line, bringing the enemy, in his mind, right back to russia's doorstep. so vladimir putin has made that calculus, and it's now unclear just what the west can do about it. chuck, back to you. >> thank you, jim. right now, according to folks i've talked to, the u.s. has three options, none of them involve the u.s. military. the first, the u.s. could move along with european allies to officially suspend or kick russia out of the g8. that would be symbolic. second, the administration could pursue its own sanctions that target russian banks as well as international sanctions, targeting russian oil companie
this morning, foreign minister sergey lavrov insisted his government is acting in its own defense. here's nbc's jim maceda who has more from moscow. >> reporter: putin now has his hand on the russian crown jewel. crimea gives putin an essential warm water port, and it counters in his mind the nightmare scenario. that's what he sees as an ultranationalist government suddenly cancelling russia's lease on the black see base and kiev taking control of crimea and then joining nato down the...
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Mar 1, 2014
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we start with foreign minister, sergey lavrov, claiming that ukraine power military this morning attacked the pro russian interior ministry in crimea, wounding several people presumably ethnic russians, and despite there being no confirmation of that -- no evidence of that. the alleged threat to russians inside ukraine just triggered this quick escalation of events. russia has used this, of course, many times to justify an invasion. and within hours, the leader of ethnic russians in crimea called on president putin to send in russian forces for protection, of course. and putin responded, as you say, very quickly, responding to the use -- requesting the use of force, and getting it from his rubber stamp parliament, and all that, alex, just within hours. now, it doesn't mean that putin will be sending in more troops and tanks into crimea. there are already thousands there, all part of russia's black sea fleet, and over the past 48 hours, they have been there securing airports already, government buildings, telecom towers. but it does spike the tension much higher. now, as you say, there is
we start with foreign minister, sergey lavrov, claiming that ukraine power military this morning attacked the pro russian interior ministry in crimea, wounding several people presumably ethnic russians, and despite there being no confirmation of that -- no evidence of that. the alleged threat to russians inside ukraine just triggered this quick escalation of events. russia has used this, of course, many times to justify an invasion. and within hours, the leader of ethnic russians in crimea...